Bihar: Convicts to live with families in open jail

Patna, Mar 4: In an effort to give some relief to convicts, Bihar government has set up an open jail, where convicts will get a chance to live with their families, step out for work and lead a life similar to that outside prison.

Sources from Bihar prison department said that over 100 prisoners from Bhagalpur central jail, Gaya central jail, Muzaffarpur jail and Beur jail in Patna, who have shown good conduct over the years and who have a few years of imprisonment left, would be transferred to the open jail.

The prisoners in the open jail would be allowed to roam around freely during daytime and their attendance would be taken twice, in the morning and night.

Moreover, besides working in the jail premises, the open jail prisoners would also be allowed to go to a workplace within a five-kilometre radius from the open jail.

The inmates of an open jail would also be allowed to an open a savings account in the nearest bank or post office for depositing their income.

Meanwhile, the Bihar's first open jail will start functioning from May 31 this year. It will be the country's 33rd open jail with the first such prison set up in Rajasthan in 1963.